Unlike the last time when people woke up at dawn to discover the mutated plants and animals, causing panic, chaos, and screams, this time the early risers who looked out at the city’s transformation were notably quiet and solemn.
With the trees reaching up to the second or third floors, residents on the lower levels truly felt as if they had shrunk and found themselves in a dense forest. Although it was already daylight, the view from their windows was dark and green, with only faint specks of light filtering through the gaps in the foliage. Outside, there was an overwhelming display of vitality, yet inside the buildings, there was a stifling, dead silence. The lush greenery, once a symbol of life, now felt eerie and unsettling.
People used to long for nature, driving out to the countryside to enjoy a moment of greenery and fresh air. But now, everyone just wanted to escape this terrifying sea of green.
The plants had become a symbol of mutation, danger, and the loss of normal life, marking an end to their once mundane but peaceful existence. Earthquakes, tornadoes, collapsing bridges, reversed bird migrations, giant insects, thunderstorms, and finally the total mutation of flora and fauna—many had lost their families, and the life they once knew was gone.
Now, people who had believed things were about to improve, who thought hope was within reach, who felt that a little more endurance would bring dawn, were exhausted. They gave up, resigning to the thought that this world wasn’t going to get any better.
They were once masters of this planet, at the top of the food chain. But the planet had fallen ill, squeezing their living space as if it had gone mad. While living beings of lower intelligence mutated wildly—birds, reptiles, and so on, each evolving in different ways—humans remained the same.
On this day, from morning until noon, most people in the city either shivered in fear, unwilling to go outside, or simply tired of fighting, choosing to hide away and survive without effort. Few noticed that this sea of green was quiet, with no signs of hostility toward the humans inside the buildings.
In the depths of the vegetation, dense branches and leaves revealed many mutated insects and birds. The natural food chain persisted, with the outcome of battles determined by the new sizes and traits of the creatures. Staying indoors was actually the right choice for humans; at the very least, they wouldn’t accidentally become collateral damage in these fierce struggles. Most of the mutated plants and animals within the city showed no intent to attack humans—at least, not most of them.
While the citizens remained silent in their buildings, in a well-guarded conference room elsewhere in the city, a heated debate erupted. More than half of the attendees advocated for a full-scale clearance, about a quarter argued for observing and carefully considering their actions, and the rest abstained.
As the meeting was about to reach a one-sided conclusion, an elderly botany expert couldn’t hold back anymore and slammed his hand on the table.
“…Will burning them help? How many people did we mobilize last time, and how long did it take to barely clear out those mutated plants and animals? Have you looked outside now? It’s not that plants and animals have entered our city; our city is now trapped in their world! The lower three floors of residential buildings are buried under vegetation—how are you going to burn it all? With the buildings and the people inside?
Even if you manage to rescue them, where will you relocate these people? They trust us, and if we destroy their homes, we’ll be obligated to give them a new one!”
“But take a look at these drone images and satellite photos! Can you still see S City on the map? Even the steel-reinforced bridge across the river has been torn to pieces by the plants… all in one night. You saw the footage from last night, didn’t you? Those trees seemed to come alive…
Do you still think these are plants that humans can control? Even ancient people knew that ‘wildfire cannot destroy them; the spring breeze revives them.’ Are we now less wise than our ancestors? We need to stop assuming we are the masters of this planet just because we are human!
We have never been the planet’s masters! Human civilization is only thousands of years old. How long have animals existed? Look at the most mutated species: insects, cold-blooded animals, reptiles, birds… haven’t they existed on this planet for millions or even tens of millions of years? Compared to them, what are we?”
Someone muttered in disagreement, “But humans have existed for millions of years too. You can’t look at it like that. We evolved from ancient apes, and ancient apes appeared on this planet over 30 million years ago…”
“Fine! Let’s say, as you do, that humanity has millions of years of history. That still only makes us equal to animals at best. And what about the planet? This planet has been around for 4.6 billion years! Out of those 4.6 billion years, human civilization has ruled the planet for just 10,000 years. Dinosaurs ruled for 160 million years! How can we compare? What makes us think these mutated plants and animals shouldn’t exist, while we should? To this planet, we humans are the real virus!”
Perhaps from the intensity of his emotions and lack of sleep, the elderly scholar suddenly swayed, nearly collapsing.
“Director Zhang—” Someone nearby quickly rushed to support him.
“I’m fine. I was just too eager today and skipped breakfast. It’s just low blood sugar; a bite to eat will fix it.” Director Zhang waved them off and sat back down in his chair.
The room fell silent. The people gathered here were the elite among elites, the best of the best, used to being at the top. Asking them to back down now and admit that humanity had lost its place at the top of the food chain was a difficult pill to swallow.
After a long while, the meeting ended without a decision.
Each passing moment of indecision only prolonged the agony of those outside.
In another building, a man in combat gear, head lowered as he inspected his rifle, glanced at his companion beside him and asked, “Still no orders?”
The other shook his head.
Irritated, the man loaded his rifle and checked another weapon nearby.
Around them stood hundreds of other young men and women, all in combat gear, awaiting orders.
…
Fan Qi’s mood had been down since morning—not because of the wild, overgrown forest outside, but because, at midnight tonight, her beloved daughter would once again have to enter a post-apocalyptic world and face life-threatening dangers.
She wished she could go with her, even if it meant staying inside Star House every day, just to make meals for her daughter without getting in the way.
“Mom, Star House can’t enter the post-apocalyptic worlds.” Yu Xi, however, had never looked into this possibility. Every time she traversed these worlds, she did so “bare”—without any hidden space to escape into.
But with Fan Qi’s question, Yu Xi became curious and asked the system in her mind, “Can’t Star House follow me into the post-apocalyptic worlds?”
System:
“There is a barrier between the two. Even if you unlock the portable function of any world for Star House in the future, unbound guests wouldn’t be able to leave Star House to enter that world.”
Yu Xi: …??!!
This response completely stunned her. So Star House could serve as her shelter not only in her original world but in apocalyptic worlds as well?!
System:
“Yes.”
Yu Xi: “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
System:
“Host, this feature only unlocks when Star House reaches its maximum level, so whether mentioned or not makes little difference.”
Yu Xi: …
It seemed the system had little faith in her capabilities…
System:
“Host, Star House can be upgraded a total of five times, with each upgrade costing double the previous one.”
Yu Xi: …
She didn’t bother to retort and started mentally calculating. First upgrade: 200 star coins, second: 400, third: 800, fourth: 1,600… In the end, she was left with the realization that she wanted everything but could afford none of it—a broke optimist.
Broke and hungry, Yu Xi decided not to cook that evening. She took out two large boxes (about ten pounds) of crayfish, along with a dry-pot bullfrog and fish wrapped in paper.
She had pre-ordered these items herself, picking them up from four different restaurants under the guise of a large corporate catering order, each with twenty different flavors of wrapped fish. Each order came with disposable aluminum trays and heaters (single-use liquid fuel cans), and pre-washed, pre-chopped sides like lettuce stems, tofu skins, enoki mushrooms, konjac, potato slices, celery, and rice cakes.
To cater to her parents’ tastes, she chose garlic-flavored, non-spicy fish, which allowed them to cook the sides in the fish broth. Dessert was a six-inch ice cream cake and three prickly pear iced drinks.
Fan Qi seemed preoccupied, speaking little. She wanted to ask about the specifics of the apocalyptic world but worried that asking too much might reveal her anxiety to Yu Xi, causing her to hesitate in the mission.
“Mom, really, don’t worry. I’m practically Superman now—except I can’t fly.”
As midnight approached, Yu Xi stored her sleeping tent from Star House, moved the tables and chairs into the apartment hallway, and prepared to temporarily clear the warehouse into Star House. Typically, her mission would last three months in the apocalyptic world, which would pass as less than a second in reality. Honestly, if she tossed an apple into the air now, it likely wouldn’t have hit the ground by the time she returned.
She could empty most of the warehouse’s supplies into Star House, leaving just enough space for her parents. Even if something unexpected happened and she stayed there for sixty years, only a minute would pass in reality, so her parents wouldn’t find themselves crowded out by too many supplies.
Before clearing the warehouse, she mentally organized everything to stack more efficiently. She moved three 500L water-filled barrels and two empty spares into the warehouse. Then, as the countdown hit one minute, she quickly pulled out all the neatly stacked supplies.
At the moment, only two rows of aluminum shelves stocked with food remained in her warehouse, along with some essential supplies: a box of fresh vegetables, fish, and meat; a box of various fruits and snacks; a box of eggs, milk, and drinks; a box of convenient foods like instant noodles, vermicelli, self-heating hot pots, rice, and canned goods; two boxes containing 24 bottles of 500ml water; ten 5-liter containers of water; and a box of protective gear and medicines. The more space-consuming items included survival tools, camping equipment, and defense tools, including all her firearms and ammunition. Lastly, she kept two 30-gram gold bars and two diamond rings for emergencies.
These supplies were flexible—she preferred not to use the food on the aluminum racks, as they were rare delicacies in a post-apocalyptic world. If the environment in her upcoming mission proved too harsh for stockpiling, she could live on convenient foods, saving the premium supplies for her parents. But if conditions allowed, she would carefully calculate the warehouse space and stockpile as much food and protective gear as possible to bring back.
The minute passed quickly. She gripped the Star House door handle, letting her consciousness sink into darkness.
When she awoke, the surroundings were silent. The first thing she saw was a ceiling and a stylish crystal chandelier—definitely not a college dormitory. She was lying on a bed that was incredibly soft and comfortable, although the snug fit of her clothes felt constricting. She quickly sat up, noting the diamond-embellished camisole and fitted jeans she wore, and let out a breath of relief. At least she was dressed, so there wouldn’t be any awkward surprises.
The room was clearly a woman’s—spacious, luxurious, and tastefully decorated. A photo on one wall caught her eye, showing her own face but with fuller brows, exquisite makeup, and a look of elegance. This was likely the room of her character in this world, which put her slightly at ease as she began to receive information about this world.
The world’s background was unusual. About a century ago, it had focused on industrial development, with technological advancements slightly beyond her original world. In recent years, declining population growth led to labor shortages, prompting further reliance on automation to make up for the lack of manpower.
The city she was now in was called Fan City, a prominent port city and one of the major cities of Flower Country. Her character was a wealthy heiress—two years ago, her parents had died in an accident, leaving her a sizable inheritance. At 18, she had the right to inherit and control her assets. Having grown up spoiled, she was temperamental and didn’t hesitate to drive out any relatives who tried to claim a share.
Since she had no interest in managing her family’s company, she sold off most of her shares, retaining just five percent for annual dividends. After selling her shares, she left her original city to study and settled in Fan City, buying a house in the most upscale villa district. She hired two housekeepers—one for meals and one for cleaning—and lived off her nine-figure bank balance.
Although now a junior in college, she hadn’t even managed to pass her first-year courses and had never once stayed in her dormitory. She never flaunted her wealth but also didn’t hide it, making her popular with friends for her generosity.
Yu Xi chuckled softly, recalling the “friends” surrounding this character. “Yu Xi” was pampered and difficult, so her “friends” mostly stayed close for benefits. Although headstrong, the loneliness of living alone in a large villa after her parents’ death made her crave companionship.
Her direct nature made her hard to get along with, but she was generous to those who treated her well. It wasn’t uncommon for her to gift friends with high-end items like C-brand lipsticks, H-brand scarves, and wallets. Naturally, many people wanted to be her “friend.”
Since her sophomore year, her villa had been a constant hub for “friends,” sometimes hosting two or three at a time. Some even brought along their own friends, and on occasions like holidays, they’d throw parties. Of course, all expenses were covered by her.
Yesterday was her birthday, and many classmates and friends had come to celebrate. A particular “friend,” her closest confidant, had organized the event. Out of all her friends, this girl was the one she was closest to but also the one who benefited the most from her generosity. They frequently went shopping together, and each time, her “friend” would subtly guide her to buy several items for her.
Yu Xi: …
The character wasn’t dumb or frivolous with money; she was simply difficult and hadn’t managed to keep many people around. Fearing loneliness, she clung to friendships…
There were eighteen hours until the first acid rain, making it six in the morning. That meant she had only this day to prepare. Her character’s wealth and villa made things considerably easier.
Yu Xi mapped out her tasks for the day as she went to the bathroom, quickly removed her makeup, showered, and got herself cleaned up in five minutes. She chose a pair of loose lounge pants and a short-sleeve sweatshirt from the closet, tied up her hair, grabbed her character’s phone, and prepared to head out.
But as she turned from the hallway to the staircase, she saw two people on the living room sofa embracing and kissing. She then remembered that, after yesterday’s party, four friends had stayed over at the villa: her “best friend,” a student couple, and a male student who happened to be the school’s most popular guy, and the boy her character had developed a crush on in her junior year.
Her “best friend” knew about her crush, so she had invited him to the party, even trying to help her make a connection.
But now, on the sofa, the two people passionately kissing were none other than the popular boy and her “best friend.”
Yu Xi: …
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